Vehicle top-bow holder.



J. S. SMITH, JB. VEHICLE TOP BOW. HOLDER.

PPLIOATION HLBD 11011.14, 191s.

Patented Dm 8&914.

JOSEPH STEVART SMITH; JR., OF NEWr YORK, N. Y.

VEHICLE TOP-:BOW EHOLDER.

Specication of Letters. Patent.

Patented Dec. S, 191%.

Application 111e@ November 14, 1913. Serial No. 801,068.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH STEWART SMITH, Jr., a citizen of the United States of America, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle Top-Bow Holders, of which the following is a specification, reterence being had therein to the accompanying drawings. I

This invention relates to a vehicle top bow holder especially designed for vehicle tops and canopies which, by reason of pivotally connected side bows, the top or canopy is adapted, when out of use, to be folded. As well known, the bows rest upon'each other and are subjected to jolting, fractional contact and chafing, with the result that the bows are scarred, injured and often broken,

especially the the bows.

My invention aims to provide a novel pivotal connections between i holder that can be easily and quickly installed. to separately support the weight of each bow in a manner, as hereinafter set forth, that'prevents frictional contact, rattling, injury to the vehicle top, and breakage of the bows or their appurtenant pprts.

ll'he mechanical construction by which I accomplished the above and other objects will be hereinafter specifically described and then claimed, and reference will now be had to the drawing, wherein there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invent1on, but it is to be understood that the struc'- tural elements are'susceptible to such variations and modifications as fall within the scope ot the appended claims.

ln the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the holder in a closed position; Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the same; Fig. 3 is a detail perspectiveview of 'the upper end of the holder showing the same in an open position; and Fig. 4 is a plan of the holder in a closed position.

A holder in accordance with this invention comprises a channel-shaped stock 1 having the upper and lower ends thereof cut awav to provide sets of apertured ears 2 and 3. .The ears 2 are connected by a transverse rivet et and the ears 3 by a transverse rivet 5. Pivotally mounted upon the rivet 5 between the ears 3 is the barrel 6 of a clamping arm,

said arm comprising a strip ot' metal approximately the same length as the stock 1, said strip of metal being bent to provide adjacent to the inner end of the curved ends and intermediate fingers or bowlifts 8. The fingers are equally spaced and coperate with the stock 1 in providing a plurality, ot separated pockets 9 for bows 10. That portion of the metallic strip 7 forming the back ol each pocket is reinforced by a stil'l'ening bar 11 riveted or otherwise connected to the strip of metal 7, as at 12. The bar 1 1 is preferably channelshaped wherebythe side flanges thereof will engage the edges of the strip of metal 7 and the ends of the stillening bar 11 are slightly bent to conform to the curvature of thc ends of the strip of metal.

The upper end of the strip of metal. 7 terminates in a latch 123 having a tongue 14 adapted to extend between the apertured ears 2, beneath the rivet 4, when the arm is in a closed position relatively to the stock 1. The tongue 14 is of a less width latch 13 and`\\the side edges of said latch,

tongue 14, are cut or shea-red, as at 15 and the cut or sheared material bent upwardly to provide parallel vertical lugs 16. The formation of the lugs 1,6 provides oppositely disposed lateral extensions 17 that present shoulders adapted to engage the edges of the ears 2 and .limit the closing movement' of the arm or the inward movement of the tongue 14 between the ears 2.' To retain the arm in a closed position avkeeper is pivotallyemounted upon the rivet l. The keeper comprises a compound curve 18 having the side edges thereof cut away to provide shoulders 19, and a portion of the sheared material is bent upwardly to form parallel apertured ears 20 that are pivotally mounted upon the rivet 4 at the upper end of the stock. The shoulders 19 are adapted to engage behind the vertical lugs 16 and retain the shoulders of the lateral extension 17 in engagement with the upper end of the stock 1. To'retain the keeper 18 in a closed position, the latch 13 is cut or punched, as at 21 and the punihed material bent upwardly to provide a resilient curved locking member 22 adapted to extend through an opening' 23 provided therefor in the keeper 18. The member 22 .engages a wall of the opening 23 and the resiliency and curvature of said member is siilficient to hold the keeper i a closed po. sition. The shape o f the meiiiber also permits of the keeper 18 being snapped into and out of engagement with said member.

To prevent' the bows 10 from being than the f wardly and riveted or otherwise connected,

'ill

marred or injured by the metallic surfaces of the stock 1 and the pivoted arm I use a cushioning member g' 24 preferably in the form of a strip of braided fabric. One end of the strip is riveted or otherwise connected, as at 25 to the upper inner face ofthe stock 1, said strip of fabric extending downas at Q6 to the inner side of the lower curved end of the pivoted arm, whereby said strip of fabric is retained in engagement with the inner face of the stock 1. The strip of fabric then extends upwardly to line the inner side of the metallic strip 7 that is, the ngers 8 and the pockets 9 thereof. The strip of fabric is retained in position by the same rivets or fastening means 12 employed for retaining the stiifening bar 11 in engagement with the strip of metal 7. The end'of the strip of fabric is riveted or otherwise connected, as at 27 to theflatch 13, between the vertically extending lugs 16 thereof. y

Arranged in the stock 1, intermediate the ends thereof,- is a channel-shaped member 28,

which adds rigidity and strength to the stock 1, whereby a socket member 29 can be riveted or otherwise connected to the stock 1 without impairing the supporting stand of said stock. The socket member 29 is adapted to receive a supporting iron eX- tending from a vehicle body, whereby the holder will be correctly positioned to receive the bows of collapsed or folded ve` sequently un-due pressure cannot be brought to bear upon the bows or the cushioning member of the holderv unduly worn or compressed. Third, that of relieving the locking member of the latch 13 fronf stresses and strains when the keeper 18 is in a closed position.I This is accomplished by the shoulders 19 of the. keeper 18 engaging behind the vertical lugs 16, and it is to this detail of conto fracture and other injuries.

struction that 1 attach considerable impor, tance, as a clamping armis prevented from. accidentally swinging to an open position.

Fourth, that of making the holder `of sheet metal pressed, stamped or otherwise shaped to desired form, therebyrobviating the neces-y sity of using lcastings which are susceptible With the parts of the holder made of sheet metal can be easily finished to harmonize with the vehicle body in connection with which the holder is used. Fifth, that the elements 13 to 22 inclusive constitute a novel holdfast device or a connection for two members and as such can be used in connection with various articles.

`What I claim is:-

1.' A vehicle top bow holder, comprising a sheet metal channel-shaped stock, a sheet metal clamping arm pivotally connected thereto and shaped to coperate with said stock in providing pockets adapted to receive and separately support the bows of the vehicle top, means secured longitudinally of said arm to add rigidity thereto, a single cushionmember attached to said stock and to said arm and adapted to cushion bows'supported between said stock and said arm, said member being attached to said arm. by the same securing-means as the rigid means of said arm; and means including a latch carried by said stock and adapted to be snapped into engagement with 'saidY arm to bind the upper end of said arm against said stock in a closed position.

2. In a vehicle top bow holder, a stock, a clamping arm pivotally connected thereto and shaped to coperate with said stock in separately supporting the bows of a ve* hicle top, lugs carried by said arm, a shouldered keeper carried by said stock and adapted to be snapped into engagement with the lugs of said arm to retain said lugs be- Y' tween said stock andthe shoulders of said keeper and said arm in a closed position, and means carried by said arm adaptedto retain said keeper in a closed position .upon

' said arm.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOSEPH STEWART SMITH, JR. Vitnesses:

' ANNA M. Donn, G. E. MCGRANN` 

